Window screen



March 31, 1936. VNYE r AL 2,035,828

WINDOW SCREEN Filed Sept. '7, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 INVENTO s March 31, 1936.

A. F. NYE ET AL ,wmnow SCREEN Filed Sept. 7, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 31, 1 .936. E r AL 2,035,828

WINDOW SCREEN Filed Sept. '7, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 31, 1936 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDOW SCREEN tion, York Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Application September 7, 1932, Serial No. 632,012

11 Claims.

Our present invention relates to buildings and more particularly to fly screen fittings for doors, windows and similar openings, and it has for its object to provide a simple and durable fitting t of this character which will be of a nature easily attached and detached and which may be folded into small compass for purposes of shipping and storage. The improvements are further directed in part toward means for fixing the screen to an opening without the use of a frame and stretching it thereacross so that it will be both tight and taut at all times.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly broken away, of a window frame fitted with a screen constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of our invention, the view being from the inner or operating side;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged reproduction of a portion of the showing of Fig. 1, with the upper clamping bar partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. .4 is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical detail section taken on the line J--6 of Fig. 1 through the lower clamping rail;

Fig. '7 is a similar section taken on the line 1'! of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is another similar section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a further enlarged detail section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one lower corner of a frame and screen, showing a modified means of attaching the screen cloth to the lower rail of the screen, and

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken on the line Il-ll of Fig. 10.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

To first give an idea of the construction and mode of operation of our invention with direct reference to the present embodiment thereof, we provide a length of screen cloth of suitable mesh that approximates the length of a window frame and equals the Width thereof. Latch keeper plates are secured to the frame at its four corners and rigid rails are secured to the upper and lower ends of the screen. These rails carry latches engaging the keeper plates to detachably support the screen. The latch connection at the top is resilient, so that by pressing forcibly on the lower rail the screen cloth is stretched flat and taut under spring tension which holds its free lateral edges against the blind stop or similar guide surfaces on the window frame in an insect tight manner. Provision is also made for a yielding contact of the lower rail with the window sill so that it will always lie tightly against the same. When not in use, the device is simply rolled up on one of the rails in the manner of a window shade and numbers of them may be stored in a relatively small space.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I indicates generally, for present purposes, an ordinary Window frame and 2 the sill thereof at the bottom, there being provided at the sides the usual blind stops 3 forming the outer members of the sash guides. The body of the screen consists of a strip of screen fabric 4 of the approximate width of the frame and the lateral edges of which lie against these blind stops. Such screen is woven commercially of bronze wire in standard widths so that both lateral edges are selvage edges, preferably reenforced. At its upper end, the strip is attached to a rigid supporting rail 5, while at its lower end it is similarly attached to a rigid fastening rail 6. The supporting rail 5 at the top, best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, consists of a sheet metal plate bent into the general form of a T-shaped bar, a central doubled portion 7 projecting inwardly and upper and lower flanges proceeding therefrom being doubled upon themselves back toward the center. The lower of these flanges, indicated at 8, has the upper edge of the wire fabric 4 suitably clamped therein. The inner extremity or edge of the doubled center portion 1 approximates tubular form at the extremities of the bar or rail, as indicated at 9, and constitutes a guide, exteriorly, for the reciprocations of a tubular slide I0. Within the guide 9 is a latch bolt it having a beveled projecting engaging end I2 which a spring I3, also housed within the guide 9, tends to thrust outwardly from the end of the bar. The latch is connected to the slide 10 by 2. lug l4 extending through a slot l5, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in the guide tube 9 and through a slot in the slide itself. This con- T retracted and then releases the handles and stitutes the operating device by which the latch bolt is manually retracted against the tension of its spring and, for convenience in operation, a handle therefor is provided in the present form of a wire link l6 having an eye engaging a perforation in the lug. It will be obvious that this mechanism affords a very simple assembly.

There is a latch mechanism of this character at each end of the upper support or bar and at each upper corner of the window frame is fastened, as by the screws ll, an angular keeper plate bracket [8, the other flange of which is flush with the blind stop 3 and is similarly'abutted by the screen fabric and'the lower flange of the bar to which it is attached. In the corner of each keeper bracket (Fig. 2) is guided a vertical plunger l9 held in place at its cylindrical center by an arcuate finger 20 punched out of the material of the plate to engage and conform closely thereto. plunger rests upon a coiled compression spring 2| which in turn rests upon an arcuate also punched out of the material of the plate l8 in'the lower corner portion thereof. This isalso a very simple assembly unit. The upper end of the plunger is turned into a plurality of undercut teeth constituting a ratchet bar 23 close to the top of the frame.

In applying the screen to the window frame, the user, standing inside of the window, by the two handles 16 of the bolts, fits the supporting bar against the outside of the blind stops 3 with the bolt ends 12 on the inner sides of the keeper plate flanges while holding the bolts allows the spring to shoot the bolts into engagement with appropriate teeth 23 on the plungers l9. The bar 5 thus becomes resiliently supported on the spring 2| and as its upper flange overlaps the blind stop strip 24 at the top of the frame there is still a sealing engagement of the screen as a whole with the window frame at the top during any such resilient movement. This resiliency is provided to place the screen fabric 4 under tension and make it lie flat and smooth when its lower end is adjusted to contact with the window sill at the bottom in the manner about to be described.

The lower rail 6 is also constituted by a rigid sheet metal bar of practically the same form as the upper one, above described, and is shown in the sections of Figs. 6, '7, and 8 previously alluded to, except, of course, the upper flange 25 thereof is the one which is crimped over and secures the screen fabric 4. It has at each end a similar central doubled portion 26, tubular guide 21, slide 28, handle 29, bolt 30, spring 3| and projecting bolt end 32, except that the latter is, of course, beveled on the reverse or undercut to resist upward movement when engaged with a straight series of ratchet teeth 33 struck from or otherwise provided on a flanged keeper plate 34, one of which is also located on the side of the frame at each lower corner of the latter.

An offset portion 35 of a plate 36 secured to the inside of the bar 6 engages the inside of the flange 31 of the keeper plate 34 as the end of the bar and the wire fabric engage the blind stops 3 on the outside and when this engagement is effected, while the rail is being supported by the two handles 29, the bolts are shot into engagement as before upon the release of the handles. The user thereupon simply presses down firmly on the lower rail, the bolts traverse the ratchets and finally lock with appropriate teeth when The lower end of the shelf 22' holds it the fabric 4 is stretched to a maximum and drawn taut and flat. The free edges hug the blind stops which are inset anyway, as shown in Fig. 3, so that there is a complete seal against the entrance of insects, but to further assure this intimate contact the said blind stops 3 may be outwardly curved slightly, as indicated at 38 in the figure last referred to.

Of course, the lower rail or bar. 6 must also make close contact with the top surface of the fiat but sloping sill 2, for which purpose the bar is made yieldably extensible through the pro-' vision thereon of a vertically sliding skirt or Within the range of the ratchet teeth 33, this skirt will always make close contact.

A modification of structure for purpose is illustrated in Figs. and 11, wherein the bar 6* is formed of two metal strips with the screen 4 pinched between them and secured by spot welds at 44. The lower edge of the screen fabric is doubled upon itself and projects from the lower edge of the bar in a yieldable loop 39 that similarly contacts on a line with the sill and flexes within the range of the adjustment. In this modification also is shown a reenforcing strip that may be used on the edges of the fabric and which consists of a ribbonof thin brass 45 having spurs 46 struck out therefrom and clinched through the screen, the

house can be readily stored within an ordinary closet. It can be drawn to a flatness superior to that of framed screens, and its mode of attachment is such that its fitting is not thrown off by slight inequalities and distortions in individual window frames otherwise designed to a standard size.

Another broad feature of improvement resides in the fact that, with the spring latch system shown and the plain selvage edges of the screen strip alone cooperating with the blind stop, the screen as a whole becomes self-centering so that it is always tight at both sides even if the window frame of standard size and shape for which it is designed or to which it is originally afiixed becomes warped, shrinks or expands to some extent. 7

We claim as our invention:

1. In a window screen, the combination with a frame having resiliently supported keepers at the upper corners thereof, ofa strip of screen fabric, a rail secured to the upper end of the fabric and detachably engaging the keepers, and means for securing the lower end of the strip against the sill of the frame.

2. In a window screen, the combination with a frame having inner blind stop cleats at the top and sides and resiliently supported keepers at the upper corners of the frame, of a strip of screen fabric, free at its lateral edges, having a supporting rail at the upper end thereof to this same which it is secured and which overlaps the upper blind stop cleat, said rail being provided with devices detachably cooperating with the keepers, and means for detachably securing the lower end of the strip against the sill of the frame.

3. In a window screen, the combination with a frame having inner blind stop cleats at its sides formed with outwardly bowed surfaces and resiliently supported keepers at the upper corners of the frame, of a strip of screen fabric having free lateral edges lying against said bowed surfaces of the stops, a rail secured to the upper end of the fabric and detachably engaging the keepers, and means for securing the lower end of the strip against the sill of the frame.

4. In a window screen, the combination with a frame provided with keepers at the corners thereof, of a strip of screen fabric having free lateral edges, rails attached to the upper and lower ends of the strip, and devices on the rails detachably engaging the keepers, the upper keepers being resiliently mounted.

5. In a window screen, the combination with a frame provided with keepers at the corners thereof, of a strip of screen fabric having free lateral edges, rails attached to the upper and lower ends of the strip, and devices on the rails detachably engaging the keepers, the upper keepers being resiliently mounted and the lower keepers embodying series of ratchet teeth with which said devices on the lower rail cooperate adjustably to place the screen strip under tension.

6. In a Window screen, the combination with a a frame provided with keepers at the corners thereof, of a strip of screen fabric having free lateral edges,*rails attached to the upper and lower ends of the strip, and devices on the rails detachably engaging the keepers, the upper keepers being resiliently mounted and the lower keepers embodying series of ratchet teeth with which said devices on the lower rail cooperate adjustably to place the screen strip under tension, the lower rail being provided with extensible and yielding means affording close contact with the sill of the frame.

'7. In a window screen, the combination with a frame, a strip of screen fabric having free lateral edges and rigid rails secured to the upper and lower ends thereof, of means for resiliently and detachably supporting the upper rail at the top of the frame and means for adjustably latching the lower rail at the bottom of the frame.

8. In a window screen, the combination with a frame having resiliently supported keepers at the upper corners thereof, of a strip of screen fabric, a rail secured to the upper end of the fabric and detachably engaging the keepers, and means for securing the lower end of the strip against the sill of the frame, said keepers comprising ratchet toothed plungers, springs abutting the same, and holding brackets therefor.

9. In a window screen, the combination with a frame having resiliently supported keepers at the upper corners thereof, of a strip of screen fabric, a rail secured to the upper end of the fabric and detachably engaging the keepers, and means for securing the lower end of the strip against the sill of the frame, said keepers comprising angle brackets secured to the frame and having guides punched therefrom, ratchet toothed plungers in the guides and coiled compression springs beneath the plungers.

10. In a combination including a window frame having stop ribs at the sides thereof and a plurality of notched catch elements secured to the lower end thereof and including also a strip of screen fabric adapted to lie against the outer faces of said stops, a bar fixed to the upper end of said strip detachably cooperating with the frame at the top thereof, and a bar on the lower end of said strip; spring latches on the said lower rail adapted to cooperate selectively with said catch elements on the frame, and means associated with the upper bar for spring tensioning the screen lengthwise of the frame.

11. In a combination including a window frame having stop ribs at the sides thereof and a plurality of notched catch elements secured to the lower end thereof and including also a strip of screen fabric adapted to lie against the outer faces of said stops, a bar fixed to the upper end of said strip detachably cooperating with the frame at the top thereof, and a bar on the lower end of said strip; spring latches on the said lower rail adapted to cooperate selectively with said catch elements on the frame, means associated with the upper bar for spring tensioning the screen lengthwise of the frame, and a yielding sealing element associated with the lower bar adapted to engage the lower sill of the frame and adapted to be pressed thereagainst as the tensioning devices for stretching the strip are energized through downward pressure on the lower bar.

ALVIN F. NYE. HARRY B. LAWSON. 

